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Thursday, September 09, 2004
Indiana Courts - Washington County Prosecutor Cynthia Winkler and her top deputy charged with disciplinary violations
The Louisville Courier-Journal reports today:
The Indiana Supreme Court's disciplinary commission has charged Washington County Prosecutor Cynthia Winkler and her top deputy with violating the state's professional conduct rules for attorneys.Winkler and chief deputy prosecutor Blaine Goode "engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation," according to the complaint the commission filed with the Supreme Court. * * *
If the Supreme Court determines that the charges are true, it could impose a punishment ranging from a private reprimand to a suspension from the practice of law that might disqualify Winkler from continuing to serve as prosecutor.
The charges, filed Aug. 4, involve a page of notes written on a legal pad by a defendant and passed to his attorney, who was questioning a police officer in February 2003 in preparation for trial.
Winkler and Goode admit that Goode ripped the page from the legal pad without the knowledge or permission of the defense team after the attorney and his client left the room, leaving the notes face down on a table. * * *
Patrick Baude, a professor at the Indiana University Law School who studies ethics issues, said the potential punishment for Winkler and Goode could cost them their jobs."If it reaches the level of suspension or disbarment, then prosecuting attorneys aren't attorneys anymore and they lose their jobs," he said.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 9, 2004 04:47 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts